Continuous Melting and Atomisation of Titanium Alloys

凤凰科学工业有限公司与BAE系统有限公司、Maher有限公司和格林威治大学联合推出COLDMELT 2。该项目与英国航空航天技术战略“零目标”中实现“交叉”重点领域的技术保持一致。空客有限公司、精灵航空系统有限公司、罗尔斯·罗伊斯有限公司和GKN GKN航空服务有限公司将以转向输入的形式提供实物贡献，以确保满足民用航空部门的要求。该项目将通过“冷坩埚”气体雾化实现钛粉生产的转型，以实现大批量生产。目前的批量工艺将被生产高纯度、精细、球形粉末的连续工艺所取代，这种粉末可以以远低于现有供应链提供的目标价格进行商业销售（竞争性生产方法在生产率方面受到限制）。这需要完善的工程设计、坚固的制造部件、感应熔化技术的创新利用以及先进的多物理场模拟的支持。该项目的产出将首次展示连续冷坩埚雾化钛，从而达到**TRL6**。在一个私人资助的后续开发项目中，将建立英国的生产能力，从而为这种关键材料提供陆上供应。该工厂由一家英国公司拥有，将于2026年投入商业粉末生产。钛粉可用性的提高和成本的降低将导致更多地采用近净形状制造，包括增材制造（AM）、粉末冶金热等静压（PM/HIP）和热喷涂。钛合金的特点是高强度重量比，优异的耐腐蚀性和生物相容性使其在许多应用中非常理想。新的低成本、大批量的钛粉供应将通过提高可持续性和工业竞争力，并进一步溢出到汽车和医疗等部门，从而使航空航天部门受益。

Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd is joined by consortium partners BAE Systems Ltd, Maher Ltd and the University of Greenwich to deliver COLDMELT 2\. The project aligns with the technology enabling 'cross-cutting' focus area within the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, 'Destination Zero'. AIRBUS Ltd, Spirit Aerosystems Ltd, Rolls-Royce PLC and GKN GKN Aerospace Services Ltd are providing an in-kind contribution in the form a steering input to ensure the requirements of the civil aerospace sector are addressed.This project will lead to the transformation of titanium powder production via 'cold-crucible' gas atomisation to enable high volume production. The current batch process will be replaced by a continuous process producing high purity, fine, spherical powders which can be sold commercially at a target price substantially below the level offered by existing supply chains (competing production methods being restricted in productivity). This requires sound engineering design, robust manufactured components and innovative utilisation of induction melting technology and the support of advanced multi-physics simulation. The output of this project will be to demonstrate for the first time continuous cold-crucible titanium atomising thereby achieving **TRL6**. During a privately funded subsequent exploitation project, a UK production capability will be established thereby onshoring supply for this critical material. This facility, owned by a UK based company, will be ready for commercial powder production in 2026\.Increased availability and reduced cost titanium powder will lead to greater adoption of near-net shape manufacturing including additive manufacturing (AM), powder metallurgy hot isostatic pressing (PM/HIP) and thermal spray. Titanium alloys are characterised by high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility making them highly desirable in number of applications. The new low-cost, high-volume supply of titanium powder will benefit the aerospace sector through increased sustainability and industrial competitiveness with further spillover into the automotive and medical sectors among others.